Tea Time
by Sapphire Snowflake
Summary: Would you let yourself fall in love with someone even if you know it won't last? Hermione is about to die. Draco knows it, but falls for her anyway.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: The Harry Potter franchise and the songs included in this fic (Close to You by the Carpenters and Silent Night) are not mine. This story was written for fun and no money was obtained from it.**

Tea Time

Chapter 1

by Sapphire Snowflake

o0o

It happened when he least expected it. He didn't even know when it started or how. All he knew was that the moment Hermione Granger walked into their shared office at the Department of Mysteries on the 21st of August of that year with two cups of hot beverage, he felt his heart beat faster than it normally would.

"Black tea with two teaspoons of milk. As thanks for covering for me and doing my work while I'm on vacation." Hermione said as she placed the cup of tea on his desk with a pleasant smile on her face. For some bizarre reason, his stomach somersaulted, and he felt his cheeks warm up. He only nodded in reply, not trusting his voice at the moment and reached for the cup. _It was still warm to touch_. _Perfect temperature – not too hot, and not too cold,_ he mused. Hermione quirked her eyebrow at his lack of response but did not comment further on it and returned to her desk. His eyes followed her.

He was totally confused by his reaction. At first, he thought that he had indigestion from his breakfast. But then that was already a few hours ago. _Maybe it's because I haven't seen her in weeks,_ he mused to himself. _Or perhaps I'm just too hungry to think straight._ He looked up at the clock and noted that it was already half past noon. He compiled the parchments he'd been working on and stood up to go to lunch. "Granger, aren't you going to lunch?"

"Oh, I just got back from lunch actually. Have a good lunch."

 _Why is she so nice today?_ He felt disconcerted at all the smiles she'd been giving him.

 _(This is how it ends.)_

 _o0o_

A few days after, Draco found himself in an uncomfortable position during the morning rush at the Ministry's lifts. The lift was slowly being stuffed by Ministry workers with Hermione Granger's back getting pushed closer to his front.

To say that it was just an _uncomfortable_ situation would be an understatement in Draco's opinion. Their distance – or lack thereof – was slowly making him go mad as Hermione's vanilla perfume permeated his nose. _She smelled bloody good._

 _Good enough to eat,_ his mind traitorously added. _Fuck. Behave!_ He scrunched his eyes in agony as he willed another part of him to stay put.

"Sorry, Malfoy. We're almost there." He heard her say. _I'm almost there too,_ he thought in annoyance. "I hope you're not suffocating from my hair," she added jokingly.

"It's fine," he muttered back. She shifted to make herself more comfortable in the cramped lift and Draco's hands shot up to her arms and held her in place. "That's not helping Granger. Just… don't move. Your nest of a hair is blocking my face." He added the last part in a sneer to hide his real reason for getting uncomfortable.

"Oh sorry."

He couldn't get out of the lift fast enough when it chimed the seventh floor.

o0o

He was currently ordering his morning tea at the coffee shop a few blocks from the Ministry when someone poked his shoulder.

"Good morning." Hermione beamed at him which he returned with a deep frown.

"What are you doing here?" He said exasperatedly. In the three years that they've been working together in the Department of Mysteries, never had he seen her go to the coffee shop. He decided that someone up there was messing with his head. Just a weekend ago, he ran into her while jogging at a Muggle park. She was wearing a plain green shirt and black yoga pants that fit snugly on her, leaving a lot of ammunition for Draco's mind to fantasize. Three days after that, he ran into her inside the apothecary. He never ran into her outside of the Ministry ever since they graduated from Hogwarts.

She was _everywhere_ , and it was slowly driving him crazy. The song that was currently playing inside the coffee shop didn't help things at all.

 _(Why do stars fall down from the sky every time you walk by? Just like me, they long to be, close to you.)_

"Buying tea," she replied.

"You never buy tea here."

She frowned. "What are you insinuating? And for your information, I go here regularly. I've even seen you a handful of times."

"I'm not insinuating anything. I just – I've never seen a strand of your hair in the three years I've been going here."

"Maybe you just never noticed me," she shrugged. He didn't look convinced. "If you don't want to be seen with me here then you could leave now," Hermione added coldly after seeing his grimace.

"No. Sorry. I – I haven't had my tea yet, and it's making me grumpy," he appeased. "Walk with me to the Ministry?"

She sighed, "Okay. Let me get my tea and some scones."

o0o

 _Maybe you just never noticed me._

Her words reverberated in his mind that night as he lay on his bed. He was trying desperately to sleep but the image of her pear-shaped face, her body in those tight-fitting yoga bottoms keep on popping up whenever he attempted to close his eyes. _Why now? I've been working and sharing office with her for three years. What changed?_

It was bizarre to say the least. He looked back to the past weeks and then realized that she wasn't really in the Department of Mysteries last month because she was on vacation. And the unfamiliar butterflies in his stomach and his heated cheeks started the day she returned from said vacation.

She was always there, sharing the office with him, working with him or arguing with him. She just became a regular part of his life. Maybe that's why he never looked closely at her before nor noticed any feelings he might be having until she was gone. And when she came back, and he heard her voice after so long, dare he say that he missed it? That he missed her?

He decided to find out tomorrow.

o0o

"Granger."

"Yes?"

"Go to dinner with me."

"Are you asking me or imposing on me?" Hermione's eyes glittered in amusement.

Draco grimaced. "Will you go out to dinner with me? Please?"

"Are you this… charming to your other conquests?"

"I hope that's not sarcasm I'm hearing." He pouted, and she laughed at him. "And what made you think you're a conquest?"

"Well, you're quite a lady's man, or so I've heard?" She raised her eyebrow at him.

He scoffed. "I've been working longer hours than you. And that's a record in itself. When am I supposed to fit the time to shag witches in my schedule? Besides, you'd hex me to the moon and back if I mess with you."

"Too right."

"So?"

"So, what?"

"Are you going to dinner with me?" He uncharacteristically shifted on his feet. She was dragging this on too long for his liking.

"Are you asking me on a date?"

"Are you really the brightest witch of our age?"

"Touché. And uhm, no. Sorry."

"Why not?" He wasn't the least bit surprised with her response. They've been co-workers and office mates for so long, but their relationship was purely professional. True enough there were moments wherein they interacted almost as if they were friends; however, she didn't seem repulsed with him at all or so he thought.

"I just can't. I'm sorry."

"You won't even ask why I asked you out? You're that uninterested in me?"

She gave him a sheepish smile. "To be fair, I haven't really thought of going out with anyone." She made a big show of looking at her wristwatch. "Oops, would you look at the time. Gotta go to Grimmauld's for dinner. Bye Malfoy."

He stared at the green flames that engulfed her and sighed.

o0o

Giving up had never been in Draco's vocabulary. Malfoys were known to be very persistent, and he was used to getting what he wanted. Seeing as Hermione did not outright reject him, he just needed to show how likeable he could be. Besides, it was only one date. He just needed to ascertain certain feelings he might be having towards her.

He placed a cup of jasmine tea on her desk a week after. _So I won't seem too annoying_ , he reasoned to himself.

Hermione looked up from the parchment she was scribbling on. "Yes?"

"For you. In return for the cup of tea the other day."

She looked suspiciously at him. "I hope this isn't some follow up on what happened last week."

 _Tch. She's too smart for her own good._ He flicked her forehead and gave her a charming smile in reply. "Just accept it, Granger. I did not spike it with anything, I promise you." He took a sip to show her that it was safe to drink and then handed it to her. Hermione accepted it, but she was still wary as she took a sip. "How did you know my favorite tea?"

"Let's just say I'm pretty observant." He turned and walked towards the door. Just as he was about to exit, he called out, "Thanks for the indirect kiss." He winked at her.

Hermione gaped in surprise.

o0o

His not-so-subtle attempts at flirting and wooing her continued for the rest of the week. At first it was just simple intimations: a hand at the small of her back as they exited the lifts on Tuesday, a cup of peppermint tea late Wednesday night when they stayed after office hours due to a very sensitive cursed object, his thumb swiping crumbs of the sandwich they ate during a working lunch on Thursday as he gave her a small smile before turning back to his own meal, and a warm green wool scarf he wrapped around her neck yesterday when she forgot to bring hers.

It was Saturday today – supposedly a non-working day – and there was a bouquet of red flowers on her desk at the Department of Ministries. She looked around but not one soul was on sight. "How did he even know I'd be here?" She wondered aloud before scoffing at herself. _But of course, you've been working with him for three years already. He's probably known for a while just how much of a workaholic I am._

She closed her eyes as she took a whiff of the wonderful flowers Draco Malfoy sent her.

o0o

He thrust a bouquet of flowers in her face when she opened the door to their office early Monday morning. Last Saturday, she decided to put to a stop to whatever it was he was doing. She did not even try to read the note attached to the flowers he sent.

"For you." Draco's voice quivered a bit. He felt a bit unnerved at her grimace "I thought you like lilies," Draco added upon seeing her reaction.

"Well… yes. They're my favorite."

He frowned when she didn't look pleased. Lowering his hand with a sigh, he ran his hand through his hair and asked, "Is it because I'm the one giving them to you?"

"No. I – Draco, it's… Why are you doing this?"

He glowered at her question denoting how stupid he thought the question was. "What? Giving you flowers? Asking you on dates?"

Hermione replied after a beat, "Yes."

"Why do you think?" She did not reply. "Do I have to spell it out to you? I like you. But you should already know that seeing as how persistent I am with courting you."

"I'm just not ready to go into any relationships right now."

"With me? Or in general?"

"In general."

Draco sighed, "I see. Will you still accept the flowers? It'll be a waste to throw them."

She bit her lip and hesitated, "I suppose… Thank you. They're gorgeous."

There was a pause before he asked, "We're friends now though Granger?"

She scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. "We've been working together for years. I did consider you as a friend even before this."

"Brilliant!" He beamed at her.

His change in demeanor was causing her whiplash. "Wait, what is?"

He gave her a charming smile. "Being friends is just a few steps away from being lovers."

"Malfoy… I told you. I wanted to focus on my career first." She gave him a disapproving glare.

"I'll wait then."

"You might be waiting a long time."

"You're worth it."

o0o

She wasn't downright beautiful like the Greengrass sisters. Her beauty was subtler, the type that you would only be able to see after taking a second look. He was on his sixth look now and he was slowly being drawn in with no way out.

He started to wonder if he should pull out now. What if she didn't really see him as dating material at all and was just too polite to turn him down outright? Is it still worth it to pursue her only to be let down in the end?

"Malfoy?"

He wasn't in love – it was too soon for that. However, he's now one hundred per cent sure that he was attracted to her. For some reason, he could now see the gold flecks in her eyes more clearly. His eyes drifted to her hair, and he suppressed the urge to run his fingers through the wild tresses that usually bugged him before. It looked wild and sexy and he had the urge to pull it as he –

"Malfoy! Are you even listening to me?"

He blinked a few times. "Sorry, what was it again?"

"I asked if you have the cipher for the Rosetta Stone."

His eyes flew to her pursed lips. "Uhh huh."

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, sorry. I have a lot on my mind. Here it is." He was in deep trouble. If only Hermione would cave in, everything will be alright. _I need to up my game,_ he thought.

o0o

He threw a surprise birthday dinner for her with all her friends. They were in the middle of a project and that meant long hours into the morning working and having no time for a birthday party. Draco watched Hermione trudge through their work and sprint her way over dozens of books.

"Do you want some tea or coffee?" Draco asked nonchalantly.

"Oh, uh, tea would be great. Thank you."

Draco stood up and went to the Ministry's cafeteria. Over the years, he had formed a professional relationship with Harry. He was all too happy to give his best friend a birthday surprise, but not after thoroughly interrogating Draco as to what his intentions were towards Hermione.

They had gathered most of her other friends there, as well as some of the Unspeakables working alongside Draco and Hermione. "Do you really think she'll go down here?" Harry asked him as he settled himself behind one of the counters inside.

"Worst case scenario, she thinks I skived off work, but I've never done that before. More than likely, she'll think someone intercepted me down there with evil intentions and she'll decide to investigate." Draco rationalized confidently. Deep inside though, he couldn't help but question whether Hermione cared about him enough to do just that.

"Someone's coming! Turn all the lights off, quick!" Ginny gasped. Everyone went back to their hiding positions. A few minutes later, they heard Hermione call out, "Hello? Draco, where are you?" As soon as she turned on the lights, they screamed, "Surprise!"

She stood in the cafeteria's entrance with a dumbfounded look on her face. She looked around and could feel herself tear up. "Oh my god. You guys."

Harry and Ron came up to her with a cake as everyone around started singing her a happy birthday.

"We know you're a workaholic who would try to move her birthday to the weekends. We decided to bring it to you instead," Ron proudly stated as he motioned for her to blow out the candles. She grinned at everyone. "You guys didn't have to. Thank you."

Later on, when all the cake was gone, Harry whispered to her, "It was all Malfoy's idea, you know." He gave her a teasing grin as he nudged her and subtly pointed at Draco. Her eyes drifted to him, and he met her gaze and mouthed a _Happy birthday_ to her and gave a smile.

Her stomach fluttered both from warm fuzzy feelings and dread.

 _(This is how they begin.)_

 _o0o_

"Draco?"

"Hmm…" The sound of a quill scratching across the parchment stopped as he looked at Hermione from her desk a few feet away from his.

She tapped her fingers on her desk. After heaving a sigh, she uttered, "You need to stop."

"Stop what?" He feigned ignorance and returned to writing his report.

"Don't… don't wait for me anymore. I won't be entering any relationship anytime until my next lifetime."

His jaw tightened as his quill skidded to a stop. He tapped his quill a few times before asking in a tight voice, "Is it me?"

"…No."

A few minutes passed as Draco tried to reign in the sudden bubbling anger inside him to no avail. He hated being lied to. Glaring at her, he spat, "Just tell the fucking truth Granger. If you don't want me, just say so. Give me some bloody closure so I can move on from being a bleeding Hufflepuff where you're concerned."

She winced. "It's really not your fault. It's… I'll be gone soon."

"Where are you going?"

Breathing deeply, she mumbled, "The Veil."

A few seconds ticked by. "I don't get it. The Veil is just next door."

Deciding that being blunt is the best approach, she blurted out, "I'm dying Draco."

"…Nice one Granger. You almost had me there."

She gave him a pained smile. "If only it was a joke."

"I don't understand."

She exhaled loudly and braced herself. "When I first got here, I came into contact with a cursed object. I was… arrogant to say the least. I thought I could remove the curse as long as I researched enough. I made a miscalculation and… well… all the previous owners vanished in thin air after a few years."

"You're saying that…"

"Yes, I was cursed. And one day, I'll also cease to exist. So you should stop whatever it is you are doing. There's no future with me."

o0o

He was staring at the fire crackling in the fireplace with a glass of firewhiskey in his hand when her mother entered his study and primly seated herself at the other end of the settee. She summoned the decanter of elvish wine and poured some for herself. A few minutes passed before she spoke, "Is everything alright Draco?"

"I'm quite well, Mother. You?"

"Mmmm… I couldn't help but notice how restless you are lately."

"Me? I'm perfectly fine. I don't know what you're talking about."

"I've raised you, Draco. I know when you're fine or not. You couldn't lie to me even if you tried."

He finished his firewhisky in one swig. "I feel like I'm at a crossroad, when in fact I'm pretty decided on what to do. I –"

"You wanted to go the other way," his mother interjected.

He nodded before pouring himself more firewhisky. "If… If you know something's pointless. If you know it would not go anywhere, would you still pursue it?"

"It depends," she said delicately. "Is it worth it?"

 _(Hermione was laughing with Harry as he nudged her to his direction. Her cheeks stained red as she met his eyes and responded back with a Thank you to him as she put some of her curls behind her ear.)_

He opened his eyes and looked at his mother. "Yes."

Narcissa gently said, "My dragon, you don't have to worry about what I would think. It wouldn't matter to me what blood runs through her veins as long as your happy."

He was surprised at his mother's intuition. Whatever gave the impression that it was about a woman? Deciding not to dwell on that, he replied, "No, Mother. It's… It's not just about that."

"What's stopping you then?"

"Mother, it won't last. Whatever it is between us won't last. I would probably get my heart broken if I decided to pursue her."

"Does she not like you?"

"It's – " he debated on whether to tell his mother about the whole situation or not and decided on the former. "She's... leaving Britain. In the future."

"I see." She swished the wine in her glass before putting it down. Reaching out for her son's hand, she said sincerely, "Draco, as your mother, I honestly would not like for you to pursue her. I don't want you to get hurt in any form." She looked straight into his troubled eyes. "But you're already in love with her, are you not?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: The Harry Potter franchise and the songs included in this fic (Close to You by the Carpenters and Moon River) are not mine. This story was written for fun and no money was obtained from it.**

 **AN: I'm listening to a Moon River cover when I wrote the latter part of this chapter. This site doesn't allow links so you could search Renee Dominique's cover to Moon River.**

Tea Time

Chapter 2

by Sapphire Snowflake

o0o

"But you're already in love with her, are you not?"

"Mother, I – "

"Despite all your father's flaws, I loved him deeply. He was not affectionate; however, it was the small things that made me fall in love with him. The way he did everything for what he thought would be best for our family… You know, whenever he was busy, he would ask me to drink my tea in his study so that I wouldn't feel neglected. We didn't converse during those moments; but despite the silence, his presence was enough for me. And now that he's… now that he's gone… Sometimes I wish I had been more daring, more forward in displaying my affections. Life is short after all."

He squeezed her hand.

"We don't get to choose who we fall in love with Draco. We can only live in the present. Whatever it is you decide, make sure it's something you won't regret."

o0o

He stirred his cup of tea absent-mindedly, his mother's words playing in his head repeatedly.

How do you measure worth anyway? By the amount of happiness it brings? Your needs? The length of time? If the last one holds true, Hermione Granger certainly isn't worth it.

"Gods Draco. You wouldn't believe what I saw!" Hermione broke his reverie as she slid into the empty seat right next to him in the cafeteria, all hand gestures and raised voice.

 _And why is she so damn beautiful anyway?_

"And you know what she said? That I should move my Unspeakable arse out of her department. The nerve of that woman!" Her tirade continued as he nodded his head at appropriate times, so he could pretend he's listening.

"Anyway, are you done eating? I need your help with something at the archives," she asked, looking expectantly at him. He eyed his long-forgotten sandwich before downing his earl grey and standing up. "Let's go."

"Great." She beamed.

His warring thoughts continued even as they reached the doors of the archives. Why does it matter if he would get hurt in the end? Isn't love about giving and not receiving? Shouldn't love be selfless? Maybe he's not really in love with her. _"Am I?"_ Draco wondered.

"I'm having trouble with taking apart the protective enchantment of the chest from yesterday. Do you know where I could find the record for that?" He heard her say as the sounds of their footsteps tap-tap-tapping across the tiles echoed throughout the archives. She was walking so close to him that he could probably count the freckles littered across her nose. He could feel how warm her skin was despite the coldness of the room. She smelled like bergamot tea on a rainy morning. He tried to absorb everything about her. What is it about her that drew him in?

This goes back to his biggest question: Is it worth it to start something he knows wouldn't last? If he did forge on, what would he do once she's gone? Pretend it never happened? Try to pick up whatever broken pieces of him she's left in her wake? How long is something even supposed to last to be worth it? Forever? What does _forever_ even mean?

He felt her touch his arm. "Hey. I haven't really thanked you yet for the surprise. Things have been… pretty awkward lately so. Uhm… Yeah. I- I really appreciate it. I'll never forget it." She smiled at him, her eyes full of warmth and happiness.

 _(Waking up next to her every morning. Slipping his fingers between hers and finding out that it fits perfectly. Seeing her smile with happiness and contentment. Knowing you're the reason behind it.)_

"Hermione."

"Yes?"

"Go out with me."

Her footsteps faltered. "Draco Malfoy!" She raised her voice at him, "It's been more than a month since I told you my circumstance. Aren't you going to give up? I thought you'd given up."

"Just say yes, Granger. Be my girlfriend. Unless you detest me so much. That reason I could accept."

"You don't realize what you're getting into." She narrowed her eyes at him.

"What? Everyone dies. For all I know, I'd die tomorrow from a stray Avada some idiot threw in Knockturn Alley. Or I could blow myself up in one of the experiments we do down here. The only difference between everyone and _you_ is that you kind of know when and how you're going to die and we don't."

"Draco –"

"Please, Hermione. Just let me like you for as long as I can." He reached out for her hand and looked straight into her eyes.

She stared long and hard at his begging eyes. Sighing, she muttered, "Okay. Fine. It's your funeral."

"Okay?"

"If you're sure."

"Really?"

"I'm about to change my mind."

He suddenly grabbed her by her waist and spun her around in glee. "Thank you! You won't regret it, I promise. I'll make you happy."

"I won't. I hope you won't either."

o0o

Draco decided to start small so as not to overwhelm Hermione and drive her away. At the same time, he also wanted to impress her and make her see how much he'd changed.

The week before their first date, Draco ventured to Muggle London in search for a video rental store. He had overheard someone in the Ministry hallways a few months ago about something called a see-dee you can rent to watch Muggle movies. Further research revealed that there was a wide range of genres and movies to select from. He hoped that Hermione would like the films he chose.

"So where are we going again?"

"My flat."

She raised her eyebrow. "Draco, I only agreed for a date. Don't get ahead of yourself. You're not that lucky."

"What? No! Get your head out of the gutter Granger."

"Then what?"

"Just side-along okay?"

They landed in the sitting room of his flat where a cozy love seat was situated in front of the biggest telly Hermione had ever seen. There was a table right between them where a box of pizza, various snacks and chips and some drinks sat. It was rather homey and intimate in Hermione's opinion, and not what she had expected her date with Draco would be.

To break the uncomfortable silence, Draco asked, "So, do you want anything to drink?"

"Uhm… Do you have butterbeer?"

"Yes. Sit wherever you like." Hermione eyed the lone love seat in the room.

When they're both sitting – not too closely – Draco showed her the movies he picked. "So uh… this is actually my first time watching a Muggle movie. Help me pick?"

"Looper, Predestination and About Time?" She looked at the synopsis at the back. "These are all time-travel movies."

"Huh. I didn't realize. You're right. I guess I was curious about how Muggles view magic and things like that. And the other movies about magic seemed stupid."

"You also picked a romance movie," she teased. Her eyes glittered, and her lips quirked in amusement.

"Well, I wanted to pick movies that would make you think, or you'd be bored. And I thought I'd pick one romantic movie because who knows? You're probably a closet ball of cheese," he teased.

"I'd like you to know that I'm very open to trying anything… within reason of course."

"So, which one?" He hoped it wasn't the romance flick.

"Let's watch About Time," she smirked knowingly.

"I knew you were a closet romantic. Or maybe you secretly want to snuggle and be all lovey-dovey with me."

"Or maybe I want to see you squirm with all the sap." She rolled her eyes. "Maybe I'll get to see you cry as you gush how sweet it was!" Hermione sing-songed.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "You're on, Granger."

Almost two hours later and Draco was thanking his lucky stars that he was a Slytherin and thus, was trained to hide his emotions. Hermione sat beside him, a wistful expression on her face. "That was sweet."

"Look who's gushing now."

"I'm not gushing. I didn't even cry, see?" She turned to him and smiled. "I'm just stating a fact. It was a good movie. Don't you agree?"

"Yes, it was," he said after a beat and excused himself to get some more butterbeer. As he poured their drinks, he heard her say, "I'm sorry for your loss, Draco. I didn't get to say that back when your father died."

"Thanks." His throat felt tight. Leave it to Granger to be so perceptive. He decided not to say anything more on the subject. "So, do you want to watch one more?"

She smiled.

o0o

A fortnight after that, Hermione found herself setting up tents with Ginny in a camping site. Draco had invited Hermione along with Ginny and Harry for camping in one of the woods near Wiltshire.

" _Someone needs to cook me dinner and set up our tent. Oww! I was only joking, Granger."_ She smiled at the memory when she asked him if it was a double date. She knew that he wanted to make her comfortable by asking someone to join them on the trip in the middle of the woods.

"Potter and I finished collecting firewood," a voice said behind her and as arms encircled her waist. He's been getting more touchy lately, but it was limited to hugs and hand holding.

Ginny looked at them slightly amused. "We're done with this one too. Where's Harry?"

"By the campfire." Draco released Hermione from his embrace but took hold of her hand. When Ginny left, he asked Hermione, "Walk with me?"

"Okay."

They walked for several minutes until they came to a clearing. Hermione gasped when she looked up after Draco gestured towards the sky. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

She remembered when he asked her a week ago about the trip. At first, she wanted to refuse, saying that she's done a lot of camping during the War and was already tired of it. He argued that during those times, she didn't really take the time to enjoy the scenery and stare at the vast sky full of stars. Now, she was glad she went on this trip with them.

"You're right. I never really stopped to look – really look at them."

"Of course, I'm right."

"Don't be a git."

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

"It's been wonderful."

"I'm glad." He squeezed her hand. "I love you." He could feel her startle beside him, but before she could say anything, he said, "Stop. Just… I don't need anything else. I just want you to know."

She squeezed his hand in reply instead. Together, they admired the stars above them.

"Hermione?"

"Hmm?"

"Why did you say yes?"

"Yes, to what?"

"To this. To me."

She peered at him from underneath her lashes and then looked back at the stars above. "Because I was selfish. Because… because I wondered how it would feel like waking up next to you."

He felt his heart soar. It was the same words he told himself back in the archives.

 _(She admits something later on, under the cloak of darkness and in the comforts of their shared tent. "I'll tell you a secret. I wanted to say yes the first time you asked."_

" _Then why didn't you?"_

" _Because I'm in love with you too.")_

o0o

"Hermione."

"What?" She replied, irritated at the interruption to her research.

"Let's go to this Muggle museum this weekend. I heard there's loads of artwork." He was flipping through several pamphlets showcasing the museum he was talking about.

She did not even look up at him before she said, "No."

"Why not?"

"I'm busy, Draco."

"And that can't wait? Is that more important than me?" His voice sounded arrogant and vulnerable at the same time.

She heaved a sigh and spoke slowly as if she was talking to a child, "We just went to Venice last weekend. The week before that, you swept me to that ancient town where we spent a week! I have to – No, **we** have to work at some point."

"Why do you even need to work? You're just wasting your time – time that should be spent with people you love," he argued, but right at the moment when she heard him say that her work is a waste of time, she had had enough.

"Stop! Just stop. You're being selfish. My life doesn't revolve around you. I will do whatever the hell I want," she hissed angrily.

The door smacked across its hinges loudly.

o0o

She found him deep inside the archives of the Department of Mysteries, writing furiously on a piece of parchment. Softly, she approached and placed a cup of tea in front of him.

"Have you ever heard of Banksy?" She mentioned idly as she sat at the corner of the table and stirred her cup of tea. "He's a well-known Muggle British street artist, which is ironic seeing as no one knows his true identity."

"I'm busy, Hermione. Just get on with it."

She didn't get perturbed by his rudeness. "He said, a person dies twice. The first is when he physically dies…" she trailed off and looked at Draco to see if she got his attention.

"And the second?"

"It's when somebody says his name for the last time," she murmured. "You have to understand, Draco. Our work is important to me. I don't just want to be Harry Potter's best friend, war heroine. I want to be known for my own accomplishments. For something that I started and finished myself. I want to be able to help a lot of people and make a huge contribution to the wizarding society before..." She broke eye contact, reached out for his hand and smoothed her fingers over his knuckles. "I know it sounds selfish, but…" She exhaled, her lips forming a thin line.

"Hermione," he called out. "Look at me." He ran his thumb over the edge of her jaw. "I won't forget," he murmured.

She felt her eyes gloss over as she gave him a pained smile. "You should. You have to move on at some point."

o0o

After weeks of working relentlessly, she agreed to spend her Christmas Eve alone with him. They first ate at a French restaurant in Muggle London before Draco saw the newly constructed Ferris Wheel by the river. "What's that big round wheel?"

"Oh, that's the Ferris Wheel. It's a muggle amusement ride. There are seats along its perimeter where people get to see the scenery from an elevated position."

"I want to go there."

"Sure."

They entered a Ferris wheel pod two hours later, with Draco sitting right beside Hermione and making a show of rocking the metal pod. She was berating Draco due to his childish antics and laughing at the same time.

"I can see the restaurant where we ate from here!" She gushed as she pressed her hands on the glass window and looked down.

"I see your eyesight is as good as your brains," he teased but looked at the place nonetheless.

Her expression turned wistful. "The lights down below are so beautiful. I've ridden a Ferris Wheel before with my parents. It was at night too. But I didn't appreciate the view back then. Rather, I was bored out of my mind during the ride."

"Well, it's always the most mundane things that we take for granted."

She nodded and continued staring at the city below them. "We're almost at the top now!" She excitedly added.

"Want to kiss when we get to the top? Just like in the movies."

She laughed. "You're ridiculous." Despite saying that, she kissed the tip of his nose. "Thanks for taking me here, Draco."

He pouted. "You've never bestowed me a kiss. On the lips I mean. Not once. Oh well." He gave a very dramatic sigh that made Hermione giggle again. He flicked her nose. "These are the moments that I wish time would stop."

"That's –" Hermione wasn't able to finish her sentence because all the lights from the Ferris Wheel turned off and it stopped moving.

"Would you look at that, it stopped!" Draco playfully said that earned him a smack from Hermione which rocked the pod and made her tumble towards his arms. "Easy with the wobbling," he teased.

"What did you do? There are Muggles here!" She asked, aghast. Despite the darkness, Draco was sure that she's glowering at him.

"I didn't use magic!" The lights abruptly went on as he said this, and Hermione saw Draco's grinning face. At the same time, a song that Hermione know all too well played around the Ferris Wheel: _Moon River_. Images of Christmas spent with her parents – putting up the tree and decorating it, opening presents as they drank a warm cup of cocoa or eggnog, and singing Christmas carols – flooded her with nostalgia. She looked around them and down at the grounds where the Ferris wheel operator and a few other people were waving different colored light sticks at them and shouting a Happy Christmas. "You planned this," she murmured, touched at the gesture.

She turned her attention back to Draco when he reached out for her hands and kissed knuckles. "Happy Christmas, Granger. I love you."

 _(I love you. I love you. I love you.)_

o0o

After the Ferris Wheel ride, they apparated to Diagon Alley and walked for a bit until they reached the Christmas tree in the middle. It was decorated with various colors of fairy lights with blooming flowers scattered all over it. Draco's eyes were following a fluttering silver butterfly when he felt Hermione lean on him, their hands still intertwined.

He tucked a stray curl behind her ear and leaned to kiss the top of her head. "I love you. Have I ever told you that?" He murmured.

"A thousand times or so," she joked.

"I guess this is the one thousand first time then. I love you."

She blushed profusely and squeezed his hand. "Thank you."

"For? And aren't you supposed to reply, I love you too?" He teased.

"For making this short life of mine feel like a thousand and one lifetimes."

"Stop. Don't say such things," he admonished, feeling nervous all of a sudden.

She ignored him. "And yes, I love you too." She tiptoed and kissed him full on the lips.

That night, they made love for the first time.

o0o

AN: Tell me what you think. Happy Christmas guys.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: The Harry Potter franchise and the songs included in this fic (Close to You by the Carpenters and Silent Night) are not mine. This story was written for fun and no money was obtained from it.**

 **AN: This chapter has a mild sexual scene. Hence the rating M.**

Tea Time

Chapter 3

by Sapphire Snowflake

o0o

They apparated to her flat where Hermione showed Draco the sitting room. It was a modest one, except for the velvety L-shaped sofa. "Do you sleep here?" Draco teased when he saw the number of throw pillows and the fleece blanket folded neatly on one side of the sofa.

"I like to be comfortable when I read. And I might've accidentally fallen asleep while reading," she meekly said and proceeded to prepare cups of tea to hide her embarrassment.

She handed him his tea and sat close to him, their knees almost touching. They watched the fire crackling on the fireplace in silence, enjoying the moment and the bittersweet taste of tea.

It was Draco who first broke the silence. "Are you planning to spend Christmas Day with your family?" He placed his teacup on the side table.

"Tomorrow? In the afternoon probably."

"I see."

"I reserved my Christmas Eve and morning for you," she shyly said as she placed tendrils of her hair behind her ears. Draco caught her hand before it dropped to her side and placed a kiss on it. He looked up to see her brown eyes staring intently at his. He gingerly reached for the teacup in her other hand and placed it right beside his. And then he kissed her.

It was unlike any kiss she had experienced before. It was sensual and exploratory; his lips giving small nips on her lower lip before his tongue peeked out and teased the seam as if asking for permission. He moaned when she opened her lips slightly and let her tongue meet his. She slowly leaned backwards, with Draco following her as he nipped his way across her jaw and down to her neck.

"Mmm."

"Ticklish?" He murmured against her ear before his tongue darted out to trace her outer earlobe.

"A bit," she confessed and threaded her fingers through his hair.

"You smell amazing." Draco groaned when she shifted such that he was now situated right between her legs. Her fingers slipped under his shirt and proceeded to trace circles on his back. "What are you thinking about?" he asked as he nuzzled his nose on her neck.

"You."

"Anything naughty?"

She laughed, "No, you prat…"

"Hmmm…" He leaned back and sat gently on her legs to stare at her.

"You? What are you thinking about?"

"How beautiful you are. Intelligent. Sexy. Perfect."

She sat up and cupped his jaw, "You give me too much credit." He leaned down to kiss her just as her hands drifted to the buttons of his shirt and proceeded to pop them out of their holes.

"I give credit where credit is due." He played with the edges of her blouse before pulling it off her, leaving her in just her beige lace bra. "So fucking beautiful." He leaned down to kiss her again as he reached behind her to unclasp her bra. He moved south and flicked her pebbled nipple with his tongue.

"Unnh." She tugged his shirt.

His lips enclosed around her nipples and sucked. Hard.

"Ahh!" He felt her pull at his shirt more urgently. He released her with a _pop_ and let her remove his shirt off him before her nimble hands glided down from his neck, to his chest and down to the buttons of his trousers.

"I want to feel you, Draco. All of you," she whispered. They slowly divested all of their clothing with neither of them breaking eye contact. They laid side by side on the sofa and continued peppering kisses all over each other. Draco's lips mapped every contour of Hermione's body from her plump lips, to the dips of her collarbone, the underside of her breasts and down to the back of her knees as Hermione moaned in ecstasy. Hermione's hands also joined in the exploration and smoothed across his arms, tugged his nipples, and then wrapped itself around his hardening member. His hand caught her wrist and stopped her from tugging. He pulled both her hands and pinned them at the sides of her head and kissed her deeply. She could feel his desire nestling right between hers.

"Please, Draco," she moaned as she thrusted her hips up.

"Fuck." He slid inside her fully in one thrust. "You feel so good." He breathed deeply to stop himself from coming prematurely before thrusting a few more times. "So warm. And wet." In and out he went, their moans and gasps filling the room.

He could feel her tightening around him. They stared straight at each other eyes as they climbed to their peaks. Some of her wild hair was plastered across her forehead and her cheeks with sweat, and Draco thought she never looked as beautiful as she did at that moment.

"Draco. Draco. Draco!" She chanted before she cupped his face and pulled him down for a desperate kiss as she came.

"I love you. Gods, I love you so much, Hermione," he gasped as he joined her.

o0o

Draco woke up to the beeping of Hermione's alarm clock. They moved to her bedroom to sleep more comfortably after more snogging. The empty space beside him still felt warm. "Hermione?" He called out as he swiped his fringe away from his eyes. Blinking to adjust to the sunlight entering the room, he groggily pulled on his boxers and went downstairs to the kitchen.

There was a pot of tea and two sets of teacups on the dining table. "She must've gone to the bakery to buy some scones," he muttered to himself as he poured hot tea on his cup. She had told him on multiple occasions how much she liked eating scones for breakfast.

It was when he took the first sip that he noticed a neatly folded paper under the other cup in front of him. He reached out and opened it to see Hermione's handwriting.

 _Draco,_

 _A few months ago, I made my peace with the fact that I would probably not be reaching my 25_ _th_ _birthday. I decided not to further wallow in sorrow and stop wasting what little time I have left on researching for how to reverse the curse. I took a month-long vacation to see the world, and experience as much as possible the things that life has to offer. I spent time with my family and friends and let them know how much I love them. I thought that was enough to feel that I've lived my life to the fullest. I was so convinced that I was ready, whenever the curse wants to take me._

 _Until you asked me for dinner._

 _It took me by surprise to be honest. At first, I thought you'd known about my condition and took pity on me. But then you did these little things that made me aware of a kind of love I've never known before. It was fun. It was painful. It was warm and encompassing. It was beautiful. It was perfect. You are perfect._

 _And as I watched you sleep last night, with your hair sticking all over your face and drool drying on the corner of your mouth, I thought, ah, I guess I wasn't ready afterall. I find myself wishing that I'd be able to give you even a fraction of what you gave to me._

 _Thank you, Draco. See you in my 1002_ _nd_ _lifetime._

 _Love,_

 _Hermione_

The tea has gone cold.

o0o

o0o

AN: Started with a perfectly warm cup of tea and ended with a cold one. I like to be symbolic that way. Kidding! I hope you enjoyed reading it, despite the end. I'd like to know your thoughts.

Inspirations for this story: Hotarubi no Mori e. Would you love someone if you know it won't last? This was written for the SD Yuletide Fest and my prompt is Hermione dies.


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